


The Moment Each Bella Found Out About Beca & Chloe..

by when_you_know_you_know



Category: Pitch Perfect (Movies)
Genre: F/F, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-30
Updated: 2020-01-14
Packaged: 2021-01-13 06:24:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 12,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21239636
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/when_you_know_you_know/pseuds/when_you_know_you_know
Summary: The Bellas each find out that Beca and Chloe are a thing, not that Bechloe realise..





	1. Aubrey

The sound of heavy commuter traffic rumbles in the distance, stirring Aubrey Posen from her slumber. The noise is a foreign one to her, having lived in the middle of an idyllic forest working at a retreat for almost three years now. But, she supposes, that is the curse of living in Brooklyn. Not that she _does_ live in Brooklyn. _God_ no. No, she’s staying in her best friend’s apartment for the weekend, and that best friend happens to live in Brooklyn.

Spring this year is a mild one, and as such, Aubrey has kicked her bedcovers off through the night. But there is still a nip to the air first thing. The blonde stretches, and in doing so also reaches for her phone. 6am. Practically a lie-in for her.

She lays still in the double bed she’s been assigned. According to Chloe, Amy is away this weekend so Aubrey can sleep in Amy’s bed. Which had left the blonde wondering - _where would Beca sleep?_ Beca who was actually the brains behind Amy and Chloe moving up to New York post-graduation with her. Beca who is the one with the awesome job that probably pays well.

Aubrey hadn’t needed to wonder for long. When she’d arrived at the studio apartment yesterday afternoon it became glaringly obvious that Beca shared the same bed as Chloe! And neither seemed too bothered by it.

With a quiet yawn, and a sweep of her closed eyes with her fingertips, Aubrey decides it is time for a morning cup of tea. She opens her eyes slowly, blinking around the small space that is normally Amy’s ‘bedroom’, adjusting to the morning daylight that is beginning to seep through the window behind the clothes rail. She admires the array of ornaments and keepsakes Amy has clearly carted around with her through her teens and early adulthood, which now lay on a shelf near the bed.

Aubrey doesn’t hear many sounds beyond that of her own breathing and the low distant traffic outside. So with one additional stretch of her arms, the blonde slips out of bed. They’re due for a busy day today, having decided to head into Manhattan around 9am to do some shopping and exploring. Aubrey is really looking forward to it.

She steps from around the clothes rail that acts as a ‘divider’ to give her a bedroom of sorts, and stops just short of the small kitchen table that essentially stands in the middle of the small studio apartment. Aubrey holds her breath, peering over at the other bed in the apartment.

Her eyes landed on the figures of her two friends. Both are still fast asleep. And from the looks of things, Chloe has her arms _around_ Beca - the two of them _spooning_ in bed! Aubrey’s brow furrows. She’s always known Chloe was an affectionate type. But Beca? Beca barely brushes arms with people, so Aubrey can’t ever imagine the woman being okay with being _spooned_. Yet here is proof, right in front of Aubrey’s eyes. Beca seems to be okay with affection from Chloe.

She isn’t sure what to do. Should she sneak back to her bed and stay there until she hears one or both of them get up? Or should she just get on with things, making herself a cup of tea with the intention of waking the two? Or should she just stay where she is and wait to see if this spooning is actually only the tip of the iceberg in terms of Beca and Chloe’s ‘private’ interactions with one another.

Aubrey’s eyebrows shoot up to her hairline as she watches Chloe stir slightly, then lean her face towards Beca’s bare neck, nuzzling into the side of it with a sleepy smile before placing a silent kiss on the skin. Unsurprisingly, Beca doesn’t smile. But she _does_ stir. So much so that after a few moments, the brunette slowly turned in Chloe’s arms to face the woman in their shared bed.

Aubrey swallows loudly. She should make a noise. Or at least creep back to bed. This new position the two women are in in their bed is getting a little too intimate. And as curious as she is to see what is going on here between her two friends, leaving will probably be the wisest thing to do. But before Aubrey can take the opportunity to return to her bed and perhaps even put her headphones in, she watches as Beca slowly opens her eyes with a sleepy smile, looking deep into Chloe’s hooded eyes.

“Morning.” the brunette croaks. Chloe is quick to bring her index finger to her own lips to quietly shush her bedmate, a grin on her face.

“_Aubrey’s here, remember?_” Chloe whispers, in a tone that even Aubrey herself can only just hear thanks to her position stood awkwardly by the kitchen table. Beca doesn’t respond with words. Just a look and her continued sleepy smile. Chloe lets her hand slowly fall from her face while she remains entranced by Beca’s early morning appearance.

Aubrey feels uncomfortable. And confused. _Very_ confused. What the _hell_ was going on here?

“_Morning_.” Beca eventually says at just above a whisper, a look on her face as though she deemes herself the luckiest person alive.

“_Morning_.” Chloe replies with a whisper at the same level as Beca’s, her hand reaching up to push back some loose strands of Beca’s hair behind the woman’s ear.

Aubrey’s jaw drops open as she watches her two friends slowly nudge their faces closer to each other with soft smiles. Their noses begin nuzzling against one another in the nook between nostril and cheek. Their lips brush teasingly over each other while their eyes flutter closed. And eventually they share a soft kiss, mouths still and pressed together for several seconds.

Aubrey is stunned. _Stunned_. At no point has Chloe ever given her _any_ indication that she and Beca have begun dating. And she thought she was Chloe’s bestest friend! Wasn’t that something that bestest friends got told? Aubrey and Chloe had always kept each other in the know about the others love life. Or so Aubrey had thought.

She notices the way Beca’s hand slips beneath the bedcovers, and Chloe is quick to break their kiss.

“_Not while Aubrey’s here, babe_.” Chloe whispers and Aubrey feels a little sick. Oh God. What was Beca about to attempt?

“_We’ve done it before when Amy’s been home and asleep._” Beca tries to reason, a mischievous smirk on her face while she nuzzles Chloe’s face, “_What difference does it make?_”

Beca begins trailing quiet kisses from Chloe’s cheek down to her jawline while Chloe’s eyes roll into the back of her head and her eyelids flutter closed.

“_The difference is Amy’s a heavy sleeper. Aubrey isn’t._”

Aubrey’s relieved to hear Chloe say that, even if it was said very quietly. She doesn’t fancy trying to pretend she can’t hear Beca and Chloe while they do whatever it is Beca is suggesting they do. But while Chloe’s reasoning is sound, it comes with additional information that Aubrey wishes she hadn’t heard.

“_Neither of us are exactly quiet once we get going so…_”

And Chloe’s sentence peters off as Beca’s lips reach her neck.

Aubrey decides that now may be the best time to escape, and without any further glances at her two friends in bed together, she nips back to her side of the apartment, behind the clothes rail. But she stops by the bed and winces. The bed is creaky and quickly getting back into it would be noisy. She doesn’t want to embarrass Chloe (Beca she doesn’t particularly mind). So what the hell is she going to do? Her phone is the other side of the bed as is her headphones.

“_Aww pleeease Chlo? It’s bad enough I don’t get to see you much in the week. The weekends are our time to-”_

Aubrey is about to squeak such is her horror of the picture Beca is about to unknowingly paint for her, but to her relief Chloe cuts her off mid-sentence.

“-_Aubrey’s come all the way up here to see us. Let’s not ruin the weekend by having sex within earshot of her!_”

“It wouldn’t be ruining _my_ weekend.” Beca grumbles quietly.

Aubrey grimaces, hands on her hips while she looks to the ceiling, wishing this situation is over soon. Chloe has confirmed it: Beca’s every intention is to have sex with Chloe, and from the sounds of things they usually spend their weekends together doing just that.

“_It doesn’t mean we can’t make out for a bit while she’s still asleep…?_” Aubrey hears Chloe whisper in a tone Aubrey’s heard before. Chloe has a smirk on her face, Aubrey can tell. And from the sounds of Beca’s reply, it’s exactly what the brunette wants to hear.

“_Thank God for your over-affection_.” Beca replies with a mumbled whisper and Aubrey hears their bedsheets rustling a little before they both inhale loudly through their noses.

Aubrey decides she can’t handle any more. So with a deep breath to psych herself up, she practically leaps into the bed and pulls the covers over her body. She hears Beca and Chloe’s kiss break suddenly with a loud smack.

The apartment falls silent once again and Aubrey decides to fake the fact that she’s heard them. So she stretches with a loud wince, and an even louder yawn.

“Morning Aubrey.” Chloe mumbles, clearly trying to pretend to be sleepy.

Aubrey stares at the ceiling, her arms crossed over her stomach while she tries to rid herself of the image of Beca and Chloe kissing.

“Morning Chloe. Morning Beca.”

Silence. All until Chloe pipes up.

“I think she’s still asleep.”

‘_Bullshit’ _Aubrey thinks to herself, and a small smile sweeps onto her face. Because she’s thrilled for her best friend - that Chloe has _finally_ got the girl she pined after all through college. But she’s also entirely weirded out. Because this is _Beca_. Unaffectionate, brooding, sarcastic Beca.

Aubrey decides she can’t jump to conclusions. That perhaps Beca is different when contributing to a romantic relationship. So with a short sharp sigh she decides not to tell Chloe (or Beca) that she knows about the two of them, and that she’ll just wait to see what happens.


	2. Flo

Flo’s eyes grew wide in wonder at the multitude of colours laid out before her. Lemons, limes, oranges, bananas, apples, watermelons, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes… Flo had always wondered what example best described ‘The American Dream’ and stood in this bustling farmers market in Brooklyn seemed like the best one yet. She was due to open her Smoothie business next week and was busy scouting the local market to see what it had to offer in terms of fresh ingredients.

As the young woman looked up from the fruit and vegetable stall, she noticed a flash of red hair and a smile sprung onto her face. There, skipping up to a nearby stall, was Chloe Beale.

Chloe, the woman who four years ago had warmly welcomed Flo into her collegiate acapella group - The Barden Bellas. Now, one year post graduation, Flo was set to meet with Chloe and their other fellow Bella, Beca, this evening for ‘welcome drinks’ to introduce the Guatemalan to the neighbourhood.

Flo began making her way over to the stall that her friend had headed towards, but she stopped abruptly in her tracks, her mouth dropping open. Because Chloe had approached a woman from behind and promptly swung her arms around her waist, seemingly resting her chin on the woman’s shoulder. But while it wasn’t unusual for Chloe to be this affectionate towards someone, it _was_ unusual for the recipient to be _Beca_!

Flo slowly made her way around them at a distance to get a better view. To double check that it really _was_ Beca. And at that better view she saw a beaming smile on both Beca and Chloe’s faces while Chloe held Beca from behind, mumbling things into her ear.

Suddenly a yelp fell from Flo’s mouth as she saw Beca turn her face and lean towards Chloe’s, kissing her on the lips. Both women were noticeably comfortable about doing so as though they were the only two people in the world. And as they wandered away - Chloe’s left arm around Beca’s shoulders, Beca’s left hand up holding Chloe’s while her right arm nestled comfortably around Chloe’s waist - Flo started to wonder how long Beca and Chloe had been dating..


	3. Fat Amy

“_Beca!!_”

“_Shhhhh-chh-chh_” came the giggled whisper through the darkness following the whispered outburst.

“_We shouldn’t._”

“_Come on Chlo, she’s a heavy sleeper_.”

Fat Amy laid awake in stunned silence, her eyes wide open as the studio apartment she and two of her best friends had moved into that day rested in pitch black. It was gone midnight and yes, Beca was right, normally she _would_ be asleep. But unfortunately she wasn’t. And it was unfortunate because by the sounds of things her two roommates - Beca and Chloe - were…sneaking around with each other??

Her mouth shot open in shock as she heard some shuffling of bedsheets from the pull-out bed on the other half of the room, followed by a smack of a deep kiss. And then a quiet hum. A quiet hum from both women.

Okay so it wasn’t as though Fat Amy hadn’t jokingly imagined that Beca and Chloe were ‘doing it in secret’. But that was just it - she’d been joking. She’d always been joking! When she’d teased them back in college (“You’re Beca and Chloe! Together you’re Bloe! And everyone needs a good blowie.”). When she’d teased them on the ride up to Brooklyn (“I get that you’re annoyed with each other because Beca didn’t take the turn you told her to take back there Chloe, but you guys should definitely kiss and make up. And I mean _really_ kiss. With tongues. I won’t look.”). Now it seemed as though she hadn’t been too far-fetched in her teasing.

The Australian internally kicked herself. She should’ve known something was up when _Beca_ of all people had insisted she and Chloe share the uncomfortable pull-out bed because Amy ‘deserved her beauty sleep in a large bed of her own’. Fat Amy hadn’t objected. It had been as much of a shock to her that there were only two beds in this tiny studio apartment for the three of them.

“_You really know how to change a girl’s mind_.” she heard Chloe mumble, and Fat Amy scrunched her nose up as she heard another rustling of bedsheets before the distinct sound of Chloe letting out a long exhale of relief.

The noises that followed next were sounds she’d heard before. Not from Beca and Chloe. But from her sexcapades with her college boyfriend, Bumper. _Wet_ sounds. That coupled with the occasional sound of quiet sucking and click of a tongue and lips smacking, and Fat Amy very quickly realised to her horror that Beca was going down on Chloe. And judging by Chloe’s breathing, Beca seemed to be doing a _very_ good job.

Another couple of minutes of that and soon Chloe’s breathing became more sporadic with intermittent pauses, as though her breath was being taken away. And suddenly a grunt sounded. Followed by an almost inaudible whine. Brief silence. Then finally a long and heavy satisfied exhale.

Fat Amy prayed that that was it. Prayed that Chloe was simply a selfish lover. That Beca was just too generous and didn’t require any pleasure herself.

“_I’ve been dying to taste you all day_.” Beca mumbled and Chloe chuckled quietly, humming into what sounded like a kiss. And Fat Amy grimaced. Grimaced because the kiss became noticeably heavy even though she couldn’t see it. Beca and Chloe breathed heavily through their noses while their kisses sped up, getting sloppier with each passing second, and soon it was Beca’s turn to attempt to muffle her moans.

From what Fat Amy could tell by the audio coming over to her bed from the pull-out where all the action was taking place, Chloe wasn’t going down on Beca. But from the sounds of Beca’s breathy hums and groans, and the noticeable _squelching_ noises, Chloe’s fingers were doing all the work instead..

Fat Amy turned her head, remembering that she’d packed ear plugs in a box that lay unopened near her bed. And she rolled her eyes. When would she learn to unpack as soon as she arrived at a new home?? Perhaps this was the lesson. Or the punishment.

Out of nowhere it seemed, a huge muffled yelp sounded and it caused Fat Amy to jump. The apartment fell silent, no movement or sounds could be heard. And Fat Amy wondered what had happened.

Wondered until Beca let out a muffled grunt, and the Australian realised the woman’s yelp might have actually been her _climaxing _and that the subsequent silence had probably been Beca and Chloe freezing, waiting to hear if their ‘sleeping’ roommate had woken. Fat Amy grinned, bringing a hand up to her mouth to try to prevent her from laughing. Because in hindsight, that muffled yelp had been one of the funniest things she’d ever heard. And it had come from Beca. During sex!

As Beca let out a heavy satisfied sigh and Chloe seemed to pepper gentle kisses (presumably on Beca’s forehead or neck), Fat Amy felt a wave of relief. At least that would be it for tonight.

“_That was a good idea_.” Chloe whispered with a chuckle.

“_Was?_” came Beca’s response, “_Oh baby I’m just getting started…_”

Fat Amy’s eyes widened once again. This was torture. A living hell. And as Chloe chuckled while the bedsheets rustled again, the Australian decided that the very first thing she’d do in the morning was fish out those damn earplugs. And create a group chat with Stacie and Cynthia Rose. They were bound to want to know about all this.


	4. Jessica & Ashley

Ashley Jones sat happily at the kitchen table. Not like openly obviously happy - after all that wasn’t really her jam (the curse of being born with a ‘resting bitch face’) - but truly happy in herself. Which was never difficult when she was in the company of her very best friend (and slow-burning crush) Jessica Smith. Fellow Bella, and roommate of four years. Brought together by fate when they had been randomly placed in the same dorm in freshman year. After quickly discovering that the other loved singing and crafts, they became fast friends. And had been close ever since.

“I’m thinking of asking Beca if we can take lead vocals at some point.” Jessica said brightly as she focussed her eyes on gluing a piece of sparkly paper she’d cut into the shape of a star onto the front of a homemade card. That was today’s task - make seven ‘_Congratulations on your Graduation_!” cards for The Bellas. Their close friends. Their housemates.

“Ha! Okay.”

“Wha? You don’t think we could do it?”

“Oh I totally think we could do it. We totally _can_ do it! It’s just, well, for one thing rehearsals are well underway for Worlds and neither of us have lead vocals - Worlds is our final performance as Bellas. And even if it _wasn’t_ our final performance…Beca doesn’t really know who we are so-”

“-She knows who I am.” Jessica interrupted with a small frown, placing her glue stick down for a moment, and her eyebrows rose as she looked at her best friend, “She does!” she insisted and Ashley looked unconvinced:

“Babe, having a pen available for her to use while she was on the phone doesn’t count.”

Ashley revisited the moment last week, when she and Jessica had been taking notes while watching a documentary their professor had set them during class last week, when Beca had dashed into the lounge. She’d pulled open a draw while muttering something down her phone about trying to find a pen and Jessica, ever generous, bounded over to Beca and handed her _her_ pen. Ashley was certain the brunette hadn’t even acknowledged Jessica more than a distracted “Thanks” before striding out of the room and through to the kitchen.

This wasn’t an uncommon occurrence. Many of The Bellas often forgot about them. Except Lilly. She was quiet, but often joined Jessica and Ashley in playing ‘_Bellas Bingo’_ during rehearsals or bus journeys or performance nights. She had a sharp eye for detail and would more often than not point things out just as they were about to happen. It was creepy.

“Look, next time we see her I’ll speak to her, and I’ll ask her about lead vocals.” Jessica said confidently.

“Alriii-iiight.” Ashley replied in a sing-song voice, looking back down at the envelope she was drawing the outline of from scratch, “I still say she doesn’t even realise we exist.”

And Ashley heard a ‘tut’ from the blonde beside her which caused a small smile to grow on her face. To say that her crush on Jessica had increased substantially over the past few tears was an understatement. And it was probably mostly thanks to the way that they always seemed to be the ‘forgotten Bellas’.

They heard footsteps heading down the staircase and both looked up to see Beca eventually making her way into the kitchen with a happy sigh, heading straight for the coffee machine. She wore an oversized Barden Bellas top that had Ashley furrowing her brow. She’d never seen Beca wear that top. Ever. Not in the three years they’d all been living under this roof. And to Ashley’s surprise she noticed that her Captain also appeared to be wearing _nothing_ _but_ the oversized top…

She glanced over at Jessica who had a smile on her face as the blonde watched Beca pour two cups of coffee. But she knew her best friend wasn’t _really_ smiling. She was putting on a brave face, ready for the very real situation that was about to go down: Jessica would say something to Beca, and Beca would either vaguely respond or not respond at all. Ashley still couldn’t work out if Beca was just rude or if she had so much going on in her head that she never heard _anyone_.

Suddenly, Jessica and Ashley saw the figure of their other captain - Chloe - skipping into the kitchen with an excitable grin. The Barden hoodie she wore was definitely too big for her. And it was a hoodie both Jessica and Ashley had seen before - it was the one Chloe had nicked off a guy she’d ‘swapped shirts’ with in freshman year. Her favourite loungewear. And she too looked to be wearing nothing underneath it.

Just as Jessica took an intake of breath ready to say something to Beca, she and Ashley watched in stunned silence as Chloe quickly sidled up to Beca with a giggle. And pulled her into a _quick heavy kiss_.

A kiss. They were _kissing_ now?? Ashley couldn’t get her head around it as she watched Beca, full of smiles, lead Chloe around and impressively scoop under her thighs to lift the redhead up onto the kitchen worktop. All whilst still kissing. As though they’d done this all before…

Chloe’s thighs wound around Beca’s waist, her hands cupping the brunette’s cheeks while Beca snaked her arms up and under the hem of the hoodie to grapple at more of Chloe’s skin. The two captains were kissing and chuckling loudly, humming from time to time as their passion continued.

There was no mistaking that neither women had noticed Jessica and Ashley sat at the kitchen table like they always did on a Sunday morning while the rest of The Bellas went out for breakfast.

Speaking of Bellas..

“Shit!” Beca burst as the kiss she’d been giving Chloe broke with a loud snap, and she dashed to the other side of the kitchen to look in a cupboard just as Stacie, Cynthia Rose, Lilly, Emily, and Flo walked in through the front door.

“We’re baaa-aaack!” Stacie called out, heading straight for the kitchen and taking a seat with Jessica and Ashley while Chloe slid off the kitchen worktop looking _very_ flustered. Neither Beca or Chloe dared to look at the rest of their friends who gathered around the table. Which was probably why neither of them had noticed that Jessica and Ashley _hadn’t_ walked into the room with the rest of The Bellas..


	5. Emily

Emily Junk took a deep intake of breath through her nose and with her exhale a huge smile burst onto her face. Her first college party was every bit as incredible as she’d imagined it would be. Crazy strong cocktails. Loud music. A bunch of students dancing by the pool. The occasional two people hiding away to make out. People holding hands and hips and giggling while they continued to drink and dance.

At the latter observation Emily’s smile broadened. Because she saw a figure she was slowly becoming accustomed to - her new Bellas Captain, Chloe - dragging none other than _Beca Mitchell_ by the hand, away from the dancing party and around the side of the Trebles’ house.

Emily looked at the people around her and nobody seemed to have noticed. She desperately wanted to thank Beca & Chloe in person for allowing her to join The Bellas and, as a result, inviting her to the best party she’d ever been to. So the freshman slowly made her way between socialising drunk acapella members, trying to keep a watch on where her Captains were. But by the time she’d reached the place she’d last seen them, they were gone. Or…were they?

A soft thud and a grunt was heard somewhere amongst the darkness ahead of her. And while Emily’s heart thudded a little harder, the ‘flight’ factor of the ‘fight or flight instinct’ within her beginning to rear its head, she pressed on slowly into the darkness. She strained her eyes to find out where the breathing noises and grunts were coming from.

Soon she found two figures seemingly in a tussle. She hadn’t known Beca and Chloe for long, but she could tell it was them. And they were…fighting maybe?

From where Emily was stood, she saw that Chloe had shoved Beca back against the wall, the back of the woman’s hair in her hands while Beca had fistfuls of the front of Chloe’s shirt and looked as though she was trying to wrestle with her co-captain. They were breathing heavily. Their foreheads leant against one another. Wincing and grunting. And for a moment Emily was about to step in.

All until Chloe suddenly swooped her lips forward and gave Beca a piercing kiss. A kiss that Beca seemed to receive and reciprocate with as much ferocity and gusto.

Emily’s eyebrows rose up, her mouth open in shock. She’d never seen two girls kissing before. And when she’d met Beca earlier and Chloe even earlier than that she’d never put them down as being lesbians. With each other or anyone else for that matter.

“Emily!” Beca suddenly blurted, in more of shock rather than calling out to her, having broken the kiss rather dramatically.

The youngster took a couple of steps back as her Captains parted. The two seniors flattened their respective hair and clothing, clearing their throats awkwardly.

“I uh- sorry, I didn’t mean to-” Emily stuttered, but Beca quickly interrupted:

“-It’s okay kid. We’re just drunk.”

“This is just what we do when we’re drunk.” Chloe added with an awkward smile Emily could just about make out through the darkness.

“Oh!” Emily replied, surprised. What sort of sorority had she just joined?? Her Mom never mentioned that some of The Bellas hooked up with each other, “Is it a Bellas thing or-or-”

“-No it’s…” Beca began, pausing while she stooped down to pick up her and Chloe’s cups of cocktail and passing it to her co-captain, “Me and Chloe just do this when we’re drunk sometimes. Just us two.”

“It’s nothing serious.” Chloe added.

“Right!” Beca confirmed, pointing through the darkness at the redhead before turning back to Emily, “She’s right. Definitely nothing serious just…we just find each other.”

“Attractive?” Emily attempted to finish but both Beca and Chloe’s eyebrows rose.

“No!”

“No, not that.”

“No we just find each other at parties!”

“Oh.” Emily nodded, completely believing them.

“Not that…” Chloe began, “…not that we don’t find each other attractive. Obviously.”

“Obviously.” Beca agreed.

The three Bellas fell silent, Emily looking at her Captains, Beca and Chloe looking at Emily. Things felt weird, and the freshman couldn’t work out why. But it was quickly apparent that Beca and Chloe hadn’t ever been caught before.

“We’d really appreciate it if you didn’t mention this to anyone.” Chloe said to Emily, and the young brunette nodded quickly.

“Oh yeah, no, totally! Don’t you worry about a thing!” Emily replied firmly, taking any secrets shared with her thoroughly serious, “I won’t tell a soul!”

This seemed to be exactly what Beca and Chloe had wanted to hear, and they both let out sighs of relief. Then Emily proceeded to walk with them back to the party that still continued in the back yard of The Trebles house - the two seniors dancing and laughing and drinking as though nothing were different. But to Emily, _everything_ now felt different..


	6. Cynthia Rose

Cynthia Rose grinned, tugging her bottom lip between her teeth while she tried to keep as quiet as possible. She was practically giddy with excitement. Since the beginning of Sophomore Year - and as such, the beginning of their time spent living all together in one large house just off campus - The Bellas had been taking it upon themselves to partake in an unofficially competitive game of ‘Scaredy-cat’. Which wasn’t quite the game that many would assume it was. The Bellas version of ‘Scaredy-cat’ wasn’t one Bella daring another Bella to do something ridiculous or dangerous or stupid. It was one Bella scaring the crap out of another Bella when the latter least expected it.

Now, just over a year later, Cynthia Rose lay in waiting underneath Chloe’s bed. Chloe was currently the lead ‘scarer’ in the house. She went above and beyond to jump out at the rest of the girls. At one point she’d scared Jessica so hard the blonde had actually peed her pants - something Chloe had been mortified about.

Cynthia Rose had taken it upon herself to scare Chloe more than the girl had ever been scared before. And her plan was the lie in wait until Chloe went to bed and turned her light out.

The door of Chloe’s bedroom opened, and Cynthia Rose heard the super-senior step inside, closing the door over behind her. The younger woman was so excited to succeed that she almost blew her cover right away.

But her excitement soon turned to confusion when she glanced at Chloe’s feet and realised that they weren’t donning her usual little pumps but rather…a pair of Doc Martins. _Beca’s_ Doc Martins.

Cynthia Rose’s eyes widened as she saw a jacket followed by a flannel shirt fall to the floor beside the boots. Then shortly after, a bra. Then pants. Then panties. What the hell was happening??

The feet carried the naked person (Cynthia Rose was almost 100% certain it was Beca) over to Chloe’s bed where they proceeded to clamber onto it. Then that person let out a shaky sigh. An anxious breath of air. And with it, the Sophomore under the bed knew for sure that it was Beca. What the hell was Beca doing naked on Chloe’s bed??

“Oh!” came a short burst as Chloe suddenly stepped into her bedroom and presumably saw her naked co-captain.

“Hey.”

Yep. Definitely Beca.

“Wow.” Chloe said, sounding impressed yet a little worried as she closed her bedroom door back over. “This is a nice surprise.”

“Well I was thinking about what you said-” _what had Chloe said?? _“-and I figured why not be a bit more daring.”

“That’s so sweet of you babe-”

_Babe??_

“-but…I-I just came on my period and feel really lousy so…” Chloe paused by her desk, putting her handbag down on the surface, “…is it okay if we raincheck on sex tonight?”

Cynthia Rose’s eyes widened, her mouth dropping open in shock. _Sex_?? Beca and Chloe were screwing each other in secret?! Was it just a friends with benefits thing? Or something more?

“Oh. No that’s…that’s totally okay.” Beca said, sitting up on Chloe’s bed and Cynthia Rose held her breath at the woman’s tone. She sounded _concerned_.

“I don’t want to disappoint you…” Chloe began but Beca was quick to dismiss her.

“You’re not disappointing me. Can I do anything to help?” Beca replied seemingly uncharacteristically worried, and Cynthia Rose heard some clambering then saw Beca’s feet land on the floor near her head.

“Just…maybe some cuddles?” Chloe suggested tentatively.

“_Cuddles?_” Cynthia Rose thought “_Ha!” _Beca didn’t _do_ cuddles. Or hugs. Or…any physical contact really. It was a known fact amongst The Bellas.

“Well yeah I was always gonna cuddle you, babe.” Beca replied, and Cynthia Rose’s heart thumped so hard she feared her Captains would hear. There it was again. That pet name - ‘babe’. How serious _were_ they??

“I just meant,” Beca added, now stood before Chloe, “can I get you a hot chocoate or run you a bath or-”

“-A hot chocolate would be nice.” Chloe answered in a quiet tone, smiling gently as Beca smoothed her arms around her waist, “And…maybe a foot rub too?”

“A hot chocolate, some cuddles, and a foot rub coming up.” Beca replied, smiling affectionately at Chloe’s tired grateful grin.

Cynthia Rose peered from her hiding place in shock, her heart leaping into her throat as Beca placed a peck on Chloe’s lips, then stooped down to slip her flannel shirt and pants back on, her underwear remaining on the floor. Once mostly dressed the petite brunette gave Chloe one last quick kiss before slipping out of the bedroom.

Chloe let out a tired sigh, then grimaced as she delved into her wardrobe and pulled out her dark navy pyjamas. Her ‘period’ pyjamas. Then, once she’d gathered enough sanitary products, also left the room to head for the bathroom.

Cynthia Rose decided that now was her chance and she sausage rolled from under the bed, squirming uncomfortably when she realised just how close to Beca’s underwear she’d rolled. Quick as a flash she sprung to her feet and darted for the bedroom door.

Once out in the hallway she let out a sigh of relief, then her eyebrows rose as she thought back on all that she’d heard and witnessed moments ago. _Beca and Chloe were having sex_!! And based on Beca’s affectionate response to Chloe’s predicament, it sounded as though they might be something more than just fuck buddies..?

The sound of the shower turning on came from down the hallway within the bathroom. And as Cynthia Rose looked down towards that room, her eyes widened at the sight of Stacie stood in the doorway of her own bedroom, looking back at her with an amused and suspicious look on her face.

“What were _you_ doing in _there_??” she asked and Cynthia Rose grinned, deciding that if she could tell anyone this amazing new piece of information it’d be Stacie. So she dashed down the hall towards her, dragging the leggy brunette into her bedroom and closing the door behind them.

Stacie looked surprised and chuckled as Cynthia Rose beamed back at her

“You’ll never guess what!”

“Try me.”

“Beca and Chloe are screwing!”

Wide eyes. A broad smile of surprise. A little squeal of delight. Those were things Cynthia Rose was expecting from Stacie’s reaction. But what she wasn’t expecting was an amused chuckle to fall from the fellow Junior’s mouth instead.

“Yeah, I know.”


	7. Stacie

The library on Barden University campus was heaving with students, all cramming last minute studying before finals. And successfully seated at a prime study table was none other than Sophomore Stacie Conrad, with fellow Sophomore, fellow Bella, and housemate Fat Amy.

“I still don’t understand why you’ve left it this late to start studying.” Stacie said in a baffled tone, her head in a book while she jotted down notes in pink ink before switching to green ink to write a quote from the book.

Fat Amy, who had been striding somewhat anxiously while trying to recite something she’d just read, let out a heavy sigh, “Because, you always leave everything to the last minute and you always pass with flying colours.”

“Uh _yeah_ that’s because I have a photographic memory.” the brunette replied, still too busy with her note taking to look up at the Australian, “If you’re not careful you’ll have to retake this year like Chloe had to retake hers.”

“Speak of the ginger..” Amy quickly said, and Stacie looked up to see Chloe striding over to them, her arms wrapped protectively around her waist and a surprisingly anxious look on her face.

“Everything alright Chl-” Stacie began but Chloe stopped suddenly before her.

“-A girl just kissed me out of the blue.” she blurted and both Stacie and Amy’s eyebrows shot up. But Chloe didn’t wait for them to reply, adding with a babbled, “We were just sat studying and suddenly she lent in and kissed me and…wh-what do I do??”

“Weren’t you studying with Beca?” Fat Amy asked with a furrowed brow and a broad grin swept across Stacie’s face. The blonde was right. Beca and Chloe has walked to campus from The Bellas House and had found a nook in the library to study in peace. Beca had kissed Chloe??

“Oh uh no.” Chloe stuttered awkwardly, and Stacie knew right there and then that her answer was bullshit, “No-yeah. Yes but…Beca had gone to get a book.”

Fat Amy’s brow remained furrowed but Stacie simply grinned some more. Chloe was the worst at lying.

“Never mind that,” the redhead said, flapping her hands slightly, “what do I do??”

“Do you like her?” Stacie asked, playing along for now. After all, Chloe really _was_ looking anxious. Something had happened. Something bad.

“Well…yeah.” Chloe answered, her hands dropping to her sides, “We’ve been flirting innocently for months-”

“_Definitely Beca_” Stacie thought to herself.

“-and I’ve toyed with the idea of kissing her before…”

“Then why are you panicking so much?” Fat Amy asked, clearly still confused about Chloe’s reaction judging by the blonde’s furrowed brow.

“Because she ran off!” Chloe exclaimed, her eyes suddenly widening and her gaze darted around the nearby vicinity, just in case she was about to be told off for talking too loudly. Fortunately nobody seemed to care - most donning headphones and keeping their heads down in their books.

Chloe let out a shaky exhale then turned back to her friends. Stacie wasn’t surprised with Beca’s actions. The Captain was so flighty when it came to feelings and affection. Clearly this was all a bit too much for Beca despite it being her fault.

“I’ll find her later once I’ve done some more studying but when I do…what shall I say?”

“Don’t say anything.” Stacie boldly announced, sitting forward and looking at the redhead seriously, “You just pull her into you, kiss her hard, then have sex.”

“Sex??” Chloe and Fat Amy questioned in unison, with equally furrowed brows. But Stacie simply shrugged.

“It’s what I’d do.”

—

Four hours later and Stacie was sat at the kitchen table with Fat Amy, the two having just got home from the library and were now tucking into some leftovers while Beca washed her dinner items up. For however curious Stacie was as to whether Chloe’s ‘mysterious kiss girl’ was definitely Beca, there was something about the petite Captain that was all the answer Stacie needed.

Beca was stood quietly. Not unusually so, after all the woman was often quiet after a busy day and around exam season - too caught up with how overwhelmed she felt with her studying load or working out a mix in her head. But there was something about Beca, like the expression on her face, that made her look like she was worrying about something far more than normal. Something she was trying to fix. Something she was likely certain she _couldn’t_ fix. And Stacie knew that thing was turning back time and _not_ kissing Chloe.

Suddenly all three Sophomores’ attentions snapped to the back door of their house and they saw Chloe step into the kitchen with a tired sigh, a smile forced onto her face in greeting. A smile that promptly sank upon seeing Beca.

Beca - who had accidentally dropped her fork back into the sink - had her mouth dropped open, clearly trying to find some words to say to the redhead. And just as Stacie was about to open her own mouth to start up a casual conversation that’d hopefully warm the awkward atmosphere (which Amy had naturally not noticed), Chloe beat her to it.

“Beca could I have a quick word with you? In private?”

Beca, who had reached for a hand towel, dried her hands while replying, “Uh, yeah. Yeah, sure.”

And Stacie watched her two Captains leave the room, hearing their footsteps traipsing upstairs, then hearing the sound of Chloe’s squeaky bedroom door opening then shutting. A smile grew on her face.

Atta girl, Chloe!


	8. Lilly

What happens if you pour a bucket of pigs blood into a tub of acid then scatter small spiders into it? Do the spiders dissolve? Do they turn into spider-pigs? Tiny pigs with eight trotters. Would they taste nice? Or would they taste so disgusting that once mashed up they’d be the perfect way to poison one’s enemies? Interesting…

Lilly’s mind continued to whir while she sat cross-legged on the top shelf of her closet, the door wide open onto the dark bedroom the walls of which she’d painted black at the beginning of this college year - her first year in this house as a Sophomore. For one with such a full mind she had a limited amount of items. Clothing was kept minimal (after all the demon within her kept her warm), and other than the slim case of knives she kept taped under her mattress, and the collection of maggots she kept in her top left draw by her bedroom door, Lilly didn’t really have much in the way of ‘treasured possessions’. That’s the way she liked it.

The girl looked over at her bedroom door suddenly as a sharp knock was heard. After a couple of moments she saw Beca step inside the room, closing the door behind her and letting out a sharp exhale. She’d been running, Lilly could tell. Which was odd really because Beca didn’t really like exercise. She just about tolerated ‘Cardio day’..

“Lilly, I did something crazy.” Beca burst and Lilly just stared at her, blinking slowly with her wide bulging eyes. It seemed to make Beca feel a little uncomfortable. Not least of all because Lilly was not only sat on the top shelf inside her closet, but she was also wearing a ‘Groucho Marx’ mask.

“I kissed Chloe.”

Beca began pacing, looking down at the floor with her hands on her hips. Beca did this a lot: coming into Lilly’s bedroom and just talking about _everything_. Everything on her mind. Her life. Her past. Her future. Lilly figured it was because she didn’t really say a lot in response. And anything she did say in response was either ignored or unheard by Beca because Lilly spoke so quietly.

“And I dunno why I did it! I mean…obviously I’ve been crushing on her. You know that.”

Lilly _did_ know that. And it hadn’t surprised her when Beca had first confessed it, just like it didn’t surprise her now. It was just as her maggots had foretold. Beca would make the first move, and by the sounds of things she just had.

“But she looked so stunned that I panicked and ran off and now I’m a total idiot because there’s no way she’ll ever want to date me or whatever because I fucking _bolted_, dude.”

Lilly continued to watch. She wanted to tell Beca it would be okay. That Chloe would come to her soon (as the maggots foretold) and by the end of the day they would both be naked in Chloe’s bed. But she couldn’t tell Beca that. Not only would the woman struggle to believe her but she’d probably struggle to hear her too. So the black haired girl blinked slowly again, her eyes still wide.

“I _could_ apologise.” Beca mused, pausing her pacing for a moment, “Yeah, that’d make things better, right?” Beca turned to look back at Lilly, pausing for an answer but not receiving one, so the Captain continued, “Yeah it would. Then we can go back to being friends or whatever. Yeah.”

Beca nodded a couple of times, then slowly began heading for the door while mumbling, “I’ll make her her favourite food for dinner, then she’s bound to forgive me.”

Lilly watched as Beca turned to look at her with a grateful smile, “Thanks Lilly. You’re a really good listener.”

And within seconds Beca had left the room and had closed the door behind her. Lilly let out a soft sigh, then stuck her tongue out to skim the plastic backing of the mask she wore. Left to right.

She’d consult her maggots soon about what would likely be next in Beca and Chloe’s story. But for now, Lilly needed to ponder what other things would go together to successfully poison people who had done or would go on to do her wrong…


	9. Beca & Chloe

##  **2013**

“Haribo??” Chloe asked, her face broadening into a bright excitable grin. Beca couldn’t help the grin on her own face. She bloody loved this girl. Everything about her. Her smile. Her enthusiasm. Her beauty. Her tone of voice. Her affection (which Beca hadn’t been too keen on when first meeting her but had kinda rolled with it until she was in the very situation she was right now, almost two years on - crushing hard on Chloe Beale).

Beca shrugged, lobbing the large packet to her left, into Chloe’s lap, “Yeah well they’re your favourite, right?”

“You remembered?” Chloe asked, blushing a little and Beca’s stomach did a flip when their eyes met. Of course she remembered. It was the most recent fact she’d found out about the redhead, who had casually mentioned it during their study session yesterday.

“It’s no big deal.” Beca replied, her grin softening as she enjoyed the way Chloe let out a light sigh of content before looking down at the packet of Haribo and proceeding to open it.

The brunette gazed down at Chloe’s long fingers, marvelling at how beautiful they were. Chloe had taken her hand on many an occasion. Not in a romantic sense - like slowly wandering down the street hand-in-hand while they chatted and chuckled together - but if she were dragging Beca somewhere nearby to show her something then Chloe would grab her fellow Bella’s hand and do so. And Beca wouldn’t pull away. She just happily bumbled along behind her with a big grin on her face..

Chloe fiddled with the packet, trying to pull it open. Her brow furrowed while she struggled, and she looked to her right to see Beca looking down at her hands. She’d noticed the Sophomore looked at parts of her more often. Particularly recently.

It seemed to have become somewhat obvious following their semi-final performance at the ICCA’s, when The Bellas had performed a raunchy mashup of Lady GaGa songs. Chloe had compiled a fairly complicated set of choreography to wow the judges, and in doing so had designed it so that each Bella had a partner to perform it with. And Chloe’s partner had been Beca.

It had been Beca during their Captain’s meetings prior to the semi-final, when Chloe had first demonstrated what she meant in her diagrams. It had been Beca all through rehearsals with the rest of The Bellas. And somehow, during the main performance, they’d held eye contact while Chloe had dipped Beca in the final step of the routine.

In that eye contact, Chloe had realised something was different. _Good_ different.

“Want me to help you?” Beca asked in an amused tone and Chloe let out a sigh of defeat, an embarrassed smile sweeping onto her face as she handed the packet over to the brunette. Beca opened it with ease, letting out a chuckle while returning the packet to Chloe’s lap, her hand accidentally brushing the super-senior’s bare thigh. They were both aware of the contact. But neither mentioned it.

Instead, Chloe nudged Beca with her elbow, leaning towards her as she so often did nowadays, a broad smile on her face, “See, I need a strong woman in my life to open my Haribo for me.”

It was a bold and flirty statement. And had it been a year ago, Beca would’ve blushed profusely and had muttered something incoherent that sounded similar to “Loser” or “Nerd”. But now, two years into their friendship, they were closer.

So Beca puffed out her chest with a mocked-proud expression, flexing her biceps, causing Chloe to burst into laughter. The brunette relaxed her body while she chuckled, bringing her hand to Chloe’s mouth to quieten her down, after all they _were_ in the library.

Eventually Chloe _did_ calm down, tugging Beca’s hand from her face with a chuckle of her own. They shared another look, chuckling gently before glancing down into their respective laps. Beca sat back in her chair, a grin on her face while the redhead began rummaging in her own handbag. And thoughts about how beautiful Chloe was and how good her perfume smelt flew to the forefront of the Captain’s mind, not listening to a word the senior was now saying:

“So, did you want to start with cue cards for Russian Lit, or shall we tackle your aca-awful psych exam notes.”

Chloe pulled the cue cards from her handbag, and placed the small coloured items down onto the table before her. She turned to her right, a smile still on her face. But the smile soon wavered when she noticed Beca looking at her in a peculiar way.

“What?” she asked.

Instead of saying anything in response - and to Chloe’s surprise - Beca swept her face forward and kissed Chloe firmly on the lips. The redhead’s eyebrows rose while her eyes snapped shut.

_Beca was kissing her!_

But the moment was short-lived. Because within seconds Beca had pulled her face back, clearing her throat nervously. And Chloe could only muster a croaked “Um…” before Beca let out a groan.

“Oh God, I’m sorry. Did I…?” Beca babbled, pausing briefly while screwing her face up, “I definitely read everything wrong didn’t I.” At Beca’s next pause, Chloe attempted to assure her that it had been the right thing to do. That she’d read everything _right_. But as she opened her mouth to speak, Beca scraped her chair back, “You know…I have to go. Give you some space.” And she stood abruptly, slinging her satchel over her body before leaving the area while muttering “God I’m such a dick!”

Chloe remained sat in stunned silence, her mouth open as Beca dashed out of sight. What had just happened??

—

“So…” Beca began, closing Chloe’s bedroom shut behind her. The redhead had asked to speak to her in private the moment she’d got home from the library. But Beca wanted to be the one to apologise first. She should’ve never have kissed Chloe out of the blue like that. Now their friendship was ruined. Things would never be the same again.

“Look I’m sorry I ki-”

Beca’s sentence was cut off when Chloe suddenly turned on the spot and shoved her backwards against her bedroom door, kissing her firmly on the lips. Beca’s hands immediately found Chloe’s hips.

Initially stunned, Beca froze, taking a moment to process the feel of Chloe’s body pressing up against hers. The feel of the redhead’s hands cupping her cheeks. The smell of the young woman’s perfume while her breath washed over her face.

But the moment Chloe’s tongue smoothed across Beca’s bottom lip, the brunette snapped back into action. Her lips parted, allowing her best friend’s tongue into her mouth, and their kiss immediately deepened. Their breathing intensified as hums sounded from the back of their throats, and Beca thrusted her hips forward to push Chloe backwards, their kiss remaining locked.

The moment Chloe collapsed backwards onto her bed she let out a tiny grunt then a chuckle while Beca quickly scrambled on top of her. Their heavy kissing resumed once again, Chloe’s hands tickling their way up underneath the hem of Beca’s shirt while Beca smoothed Chloe’s hair from her forehead with both hands.

Then all of a sudden, they stopped. Their chests heaving while they filled their lungs with oxygen, Beca brought her face back and looked down at Chloe as though seeing her for the first time. Chloe looked up at Beca and abroad smile crept onto her face. Her hands remained up Beca’s shirt, tracing patterns across the woman’s soft skin with her fingertips.

“Well this is unexpected.” Beca mumbled, a smile on her own face while she remained laid on top of Chloe. And Chloe tugged her bottom lip between her teeth.

“Uhuh.”

“Good-unexpected though.”

“Definitely.”

##  **2014**

Chloe let out a heavy exhausted sigh, pulling the shower cap from her head and letting her long red hair fall over her shoulders. She straightened her pyjama top, wiggled her hips a little to try to elieviate the ache in her lower back and lower abdominal area, then gathered up her day clothes to take back to her bedroom.

Being on her period was the worst, but Chloe was relieved about one thing - at least Beca would understand why she wasn’t in the mood to do anything but snooze, eat junk food, and watch Netflix for the rest of the evening.

Upon stepping out of the bathroom, Chloe slowly pattered down the hallway to her bedroom and nudged inside. There her heart skipped a beat as her eyes found low lighting - a couple of scented candles lit on her desk and a string of fairy lights over her bed - and her girlfriend laid on her bed once more, clothed this time, with her own laptop open. To Beca’s left were a variety of packets of junk food. To Beca’s right was a large hot water bottle, and several blankets (taken from the lounge).

And Chloe suddenly burst into tears.

Beca’s eyebrows rose, immediately concerned with her girlfriend’s reaction, and as she sat up she held her hands out. But Chloe simply dropped her clothes and smiled mid-cry.

“Sorry.” Chloe blubbed, striding over to the bed, clambering over her girlfriend, and tucking up into the right side of her body, “You’re just the best!”

Beca let out a chuckle, wrapping her arms around Chloe’s upper body and placing a kiss on her head as she felt Chloe’s arms smooth around her waist, “Hormones huh?”

“Ugh the worst.” Chloe blubbed, muffled against Beca’s sweater. Beca let out another chuckle, squeezing the redhead a little tighter.

“You don’t need to do anything tonight babe.” she replied affectionately, “Just tuck up, eat junk food, and watch more of Parks & Rec.”

Chloe let out a heavy sigh of relief, sinking into Beca’s warm embrace while tugging a cosy blanket over her exhausted body.

##  **2015**

“I love it.”

“Yeah?” Beca checked, stood at the piano of the rehearsal room. Only two weeks left until Worlds. And only ten minutes until today’s rehearsal began.

The brunette gazed at her girlfriend while Chloe wandered over to her, an affectionate smile on both their faces as the older senior stopped by Beca’s side and smoothed the palm of her hand in slow circles over the Captain’s ass.

“How could I not?” Chloe asked rhetorically, her voice low and soft, her face leaning towards Beca’s while looking down at her lips, “You wrote it. And I love everything about you.”

“Cheesy.” Beca mumbled, leaning her own face towards Chloe’s while her smile broadened at the compliment.

“You love iiiiit.” the redhead teased, nudging the tip of her nose against Beca’s, playfully.

“Just like I love you.” Beca replied, and closed the gap between their lips. A long firm kiss ensued between the two Bellas Captains.

They were still a secret to The Bellas. They - Beca & Chloe. A couple. Involved _romantically_. And sneaking around together was still a thrill a year and a half on from their first kiss in the library.

“Hey gu- oh.”

Beca and Chloe snapped apart, their kiss echoing off the rehearsal room walls. Chloe swept her tongue across her lips, fleetingly hiding her mouth behind her fingertips, while Beca tugged her bottom lip between her teeth with an embarrassed smile. Emily seemed to have frozen in the doorway, clearly feeling awkward.

“Are you guys…drunk already?” The freshman asked. Beca and Chloe cleared their throats, turning to look at the teen. Emily had found them drunkenly making out at the last hoodnight party back in October. As far as the captains were aware, she was the only Bella who knew about their romantic relationship. Though what she knew was actually what they’d told her: that they only kissed when they were drunk. Hence Emily’s question.

“Uh…yeah!” Beca quickly replied, shutting down her MacBook that she’d rested on top of the piano when she and Chloe had arrived thirty minutes ago. “Yeah weeeee…”

“Went to a bar at lunchtime. Had a few cocktails to have a break from studying for finals.” Chloe quickly explained. And it seemed to be a valid enough excuse for Emily, who simply shrugged and made her way over to the seats where rehearsals always began.

Beca and Chloe glanced at each other, raising their eyebrows in relief that it had only been Emily who had caught them. That had been close!

##  **2016**

Chloe woke up slowly to the sound of a metal teaspoon clinking around the edges of a China cup. She brought her hand to her eye, slowly rubbing it before letting out a sleepy satisfied sigh. Opening her eyes, she noted the bright light coming in from the window by the head of her bed. And a soft smile washed across her face.

January. There were a million things she hated about winter: the chilly temperatures, the ice, the short amount of daylight. But the joys of winter in New York? It almost always snowed! And last night it had done just that.

Her first new year in New York and it had snowed. How perfect!

Chloe sat up slowly, and grinned at the sight of her girlfriend stood in the kitchen area of the studio apartment they shared with Fat Amy. Beca wore nothing but an oversized T-shirt and a pair of fluffy pink bunny rabbit slippers. _Chloe’s_ T-shirt and fluffy pink bunny rabbit slippers. And it filled the redhead with warmth and joy to see such a sight.

She slipped out of bed, trying to stay quiet when she winced at the feel of the cold floorboards on the soles of her bare feet. Creeping towards the unsuspecting brunette, Chloe tugged her bottom lip between her teeth, reached out, and slipped her arms around Beca’s waist from behind.

“Good morning.” Chloe mumbled into Beca’s ear, before placing a soft kiss on the woman’s neck.

Beca smiled, leaning backwards into Chloe’s body. Ever comfortable at being affectionate with the girl she’d been in a relationship with for almost three years. She turned on the spot and marvelled at Chloe’s appearance. Particularly how naked she was.

“It _is_ good.” She mumbled in return, leaning her face towards Chloe’s with a grin, her hands finding Chloe’s hips then sliding her palms around to the redhead’s bare ass, “The perfect start to a brand new year that’s for sure.”

“Mmm.” Chloe hummed in approval, Beca’s hands now smoothing up her bare back, then around to the front of her body. She let out a happy exhale the moment her girlfriend cupped her bare breasts.

“It’s cold and snowy out there…” Chloe began, her eyes becoming hooded as Beca hands gently began to squeeze and tweak her breasts and nipples, “… we’d better find an indoor activity today.”

“I can think of one or two things.” Beca mumbled in return and Chloe took a sharp intake of breath the second Beca’s mouth took her right breast in, the woman’s tongue tracing circles around her nipple, gently nibbling it while Chloe allowed the woman to guide her back to their bed..

##  **2017**

“Special deliv-!”

Beca looked up from the mixing desk in shock as her girlfriend burst into the studio with a broad smile on her face. A broad smile that immediately dropped with her cut sentence when Chloe realised that Beca wasn’t alone. In fact she was the _opposite_ of alone. Beca had a full room of studio bosses, a pretty impressive recording artist in the form of Katy Perry, and the musician’s entire entourage.

“Uh, excuse me.” Beca said to the people around her, pushing her chair back from her mixing desk. Her cheeks were flushed pink in embarrassment while she headed for the door of the studio. Meanwhile Chloe had already backed out of the room, completely mortified.

“Oh god, Beca, I’m so so SO sorry!” Chloe burst, tears already brimming in her eyes. But Beca, who has ensured she close the door of the studio behind her, simply smiled in amusement at the redhead before her.

“It’s okay, babe”

“No, it isn’t!” Chloe immediately replied, her hands in her hair clearly reliving the moment and hating every second, “You were co-producing _Katy Perry_’s new record! Why didn’t you _tell_ me??”

“Because they changed the schedule to today. I was gonna tell you when I got home.” Beca explained in a patient amused tone, “And in fairness I hadn’t expected you to turn up.”

It wasn’t unusual for Chloe to turn up at BFD Records to meet Beca for lunch. But normally the redhead would text in advance or the two women would agree in the morning that that was what they were going to do. They hadn’t today.

“You forgot your pack-up.” Chloe said in a quiet voice, holding up a brown bag with Beca’s name scribbled on the front in red marker pen - a little heart drawn above the ‘e’ and the ‘c’. Beca looked at it then back to her girlfriend, her smile softening, “I didn’t mean to interrupt such an important thing..”

“Oh babe, it’s ok.” She assured, taking the bag gratefully, “Thanks. And you didn’t interrupt too much. They were all just trying to decide what to order for lunch so the studio PA could get everything in time.”

The hallway they were stood in fell silent. Neither of them had openly told Beca’s company that she wasn’t dating her college sweetheart. Not that Beca imagined her bosses minding that she were gay. But still..it was the process of actually telling someone that was daunting. Even after dating for four years.

“Did you wanna join me for the rest of the afternoon?” Beca asked, caution to her tone. But she needn’t have worried about Chloe’s response because the redhead smiled broadly.

“For serious??”

“For serious.”

“With…Katy Perry.”

“With Katy Perry, yeah.”

“As… your girlfriend?”

Beca let out a calm and contented sigh, smiling softly at her long-term girlfriend.

“Yeah Chloe, as my girlfriend.”

##  **2018**

“Ta-daaa!”

Chloe opened her arms up with a bright beaming smile, presenting the studio apartment she and Beca had just arrived back at. Presenting it to Aubrey who was visiting for the very first time. To say that Chloe was excited was an understatement. She’d missed her best friend so much and Aubrey has always been too busy to visit Brooklyn. But finally they’d settled on a date that not only ensured that Aubrey was free to make the trip but that coincided with Fat Amy being away for the weekend. Which left the Australian’s bed available for the guest to sleep in.

“Wow you um…you have so few beds.” Was the best Aubrey could say, turning to Beca and Chloe after glancing around the tiny space they were stood within. It was true of course. There were only two beds for three people. But nobody knew that Beca and Chloe were a couple, despite knowing that they shared the pull-out bed. Well, everyone knew except Aubrey.

“We manage.” Chloe said with a shrug in a bright tone, “This is mine and Beca’s bed, and you can take Amy’s over there!” She motioned to the large double bed at one end of the apartment, “Don’t worry, we washed the bedsheets.”

“Hmm.” Aubrey replied as she looked at the bed that would be hers for three nights, “Wait,” She turned back to Chloe with a furrowed brow, “you both _share_ a bed??”

“Uhuh.” Came the equal reply from both Beca and Chloe.

“Like…every night?”

“Since we moved here!” Chloe said with a bright smile, heading over to the kitchen area to set up the coffee machine.

Beca grinned at how uncomfortable Aubrey looked with this new information. Chloe had wanted to tell the blonde about their relationship, and Beca’s response had been “whatever you want I’ll support”. But on their way to meet Aubrey at the airport Chloe had declared clearly that she wasn’t ready for Aubrey to know yet.

“So you’ve been sharing a bed for… two years?!”

“Yep.” Beca answered giving the woman a casual shrug, as though it was really no big deal. Inside she was laughing. Because Aubrey seemed to have gone a little pale, her brain clearly ticking, trying to work out what this all meant.

“Coffee, Bree?” Chloe asked, snapping the blonde from her thoughts, and Aubrey forced a bright smile onto her face.

“Oh, um, yes.”

##  **2019**

A light warm evening breeze drifted through Chloe’s long red hair while she dug her chopsticks as deep into the takeout pot as she could manage, searching for another prawn. But her mind was riddled with thoughts and questions. She was dying to ask Beca something which she knew was generally off-topic..

“I know you never want to but if…” Chloe began, looking over at her girlfriend who was walking slowly alongside her down mid-town Manhattan, “…_hypothetically_…we got married…” it was something Beca had told her never to bother mentioning, “…where would you want to have the ceremony?”

She watched as the brunette let out a long sigh from her nose, the younger woman pausing her own digging of takeout.

“Hypothetically?” Beca checked, and Chloe nodded quickly, trying not to get her hopes up. She and Beca had been dating for six years. And for four of those six years the redhead had known that her girlfriend never wanted to get married. The curse of Beca coming from a broken home..

“Well, I guess…” Beca paused, looking at the tall buildings, bustling tourists and distracted commuters around them, as though searching for an appropriate answer on their faces or through the windows, “…it’d be somewhere intimate? Small. Private. With nobody but The Bellas present.”

“We’d have to tell them we’re dating first.” Chloe added with a chuckle and Beca chuckled back, though a little more nervously.

“True. Luckily we’re not getting married so-”

Chloe’s attention drifted from what her girlfriend was saying while disappointment cloaked her emotions. She’d always wanted to get married. And she desperately wished Beca wanted to as well. But if being with Beca meant never getting married then Chloe was willing to sacrifice her childhood dream all in the name of romance.

“…and if I _were_ ever to propose then I could never do it while The Bellas didn’t know about us.” Beca finished, having rambled for almost a minute.

Chloe was completely unaware that Beca knew exactly how her girlfriend wanted to be proposed to, how she wanted to get married, and how she wanted to celebrate afterwards. Because Beca had casually asked Aubrey earlier in the year…

##  **2020**

“HAPPY NEW YEEEAR!!”

The Bellas shrieked and whooped and cheered, all gathered in the wooden cabin that they’d all chipped in to rent for the holiday season. Drinks had flowed since midday while all women had sung merrily with the karaoke machine that Emily had brought along. Now, twelve hour on, most Bellas had actually sobered up.

“Uh guys?” Beca yelled, tapping her empty beer bottle with another empty beer bottle. Her heart was thudding against her chest. This was it. _Shit_.

The women before her all fell silent, grinning at her, clearly expecting her to make a speech about how they were family etc etc. But Beca had different ideas..

“I’ve got a big announcement. _Two_ big announcements actually. Kinda. Um…”

She looked at Chloe, and upon seeing her girlfriend’s supportive smile, Beca suddenly felt a little more at ease. Everything was going to be okay.

“Chloe and I are dating.” and as she spoke she reached out and took Chloe hand. They both smiled at each other, a wave of relief washing over their bodies now that they’d finally confessed their biggest and longest held secret. But as they looked over at their friends, the women before them seemed unsurprised. If anything they looked amused.

“Uh yeah I know.” Stacie said and Beca and Chloe’s mouths dropped open as each Bella responded in kind.

“So do we.” Jessica and Ashley added.

“And me.” said Flo.

“I’ve been in the unfortunate position of hearing you both doing it.” Cynthia Rose said and Fat Amy grimaced:

“Ugh me too.” she grumbled, “Too many times.”

“And you guys made out right next to me in your apartment that one time!” Aubrey finished, clearly disgusted.

“Wha?” Chloe began, “Why didn’t you guys _say_ anything??”

“Because I wasn’t sure how serious you were!” Stacie replied.

“Nor us.” Jessica and Ashley added.

“Me either.” Flo agreed.

“Same.” Cynthia Rose conceded.

“I mean you were doing it so much that in the end I figured you guys were just trying to work through some sort of confused sexuality..” Fat Amy said with a shrug, sipping a cocktail.

“I’m with Stacie,” Aubrey nodded towards the tall brunette, “I didn’t know how serious you guys were. Especially as you hadn’t said anything!”

Chloe felt a little guilty, but Beca felt relieved. Relieved because it would probably make the next part easier.

“Well,” she said, turning to Chloe with a soft smile on her face, “they now know.”

Chloe smiled, not overly sure why her girlfriend was stating the obvious. But soon her mouth fell open when she watched Beca getting down on one knee. Squeals sounded from the rest of The Bellas while Beca took Chloe’s left hand, looking up at the redhead nervously.

“I know I said I never wanted to get married.” Beca began, beaming up at Chloe while the rest of the room fell silent, “But you do. You’ve always wanted to. I read an article last year that said ‘you don’t get married for yourself, you get married for the other person’. And I don’t think any saying has better suited our situation than that saying.”

Beca reached into her pants pocket and pulled out a ring box, delighting in the way Chloe’s bright blue eyes seemed to widen in delight and joy at the sight. After a bit of fumbling Beca successfully revealed a beautiful diamond ring.

“Chloe Beale. After putting up with me for six and a half years-”

(“Six and a half?!” Aubrey blurted, unable to believe that Chloe and Beca had managed to keep it a secret for that long)

“-would you do me the honour of putting up with me for the rest of our life together and becoming my wife?”

Chloe burst into tears, letting out a loud blubbed “YES!” before reaching down to cup Beca’s cheeks and kiss her firmly and deeply on her lips.

The Bellas’ mouths dropped open, smiles poking out the corners. Because Beca and Chloe had finally done it. They’d finally revealed to their <strike>friends</strike> _family _that they were a couple. And a soon-to-be married one at that.

—

“So who found out first??” Aubrey demanded to know, handing out champagne flutes while Chloe marvelled at the engagement ring on her finger.

“Probably me.” Stacie said, raising her hand, “I’m the one who advised Chloe back in Sophomore year to just have sex with Beca.”

And even though Beca grinned broadly at Chloe who had turned a deep shade of red in embarrassment, the petite brunette quickly provided the correct answer:

“Actually, it was Lilly.”

The Bellas all turned to look at the odd woman who sat at the back of the room, cross-legged, peering through the champagne flute as though it were a telescope.

“She’d known about my crush on Chloe long before I’d kissed her. Then she’d known that I’d kissed Chloe. Then…she must’ve worked out we’d become a thing because I didn’t need to confide in her any more.”

Beca smiled gratefully at Lilly, who gave her a thumbs-up. And the rest of The Bellas turned back to the couple in shock. Because of all The Bellas to have found out about Beca and Chloe first, none would’ve predicted it be Lilly.


End file.
